Why I Love the Internet: Part 4,562,992
Here’s what I love about the Internet–a new way to thwart bullies without getting beaten up.
This is a video that is getting a lot of play, which shows a really agitated policeman haranguing a 14-year-old kid, who was skateboarding at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
The officer–a 17-year veteran named Salvatore Rivieri–went verbally ballistic without, as you will see, a whole lot of cause from the boy, who was pretty well behaved and exhibited very minor lip. Calling someone “dude” is not really deserving of the rage he got in return from the policeman.
While it is not known what went on right before this video and most cops do not act like this, it is pretty appalling and a perfect example of chronicling bad behavior all over using the powerful tool of viral online video.
The person who took the video and posted it on YouTube is unknown as yet, but has a lot of guts to keep rolling, until he or she was almost found out.
Rivieri has been suspended, according to the Baltimore Sun.
Here’s the video:
Comments
Unless, of course, you happen to live in Utah, where a state senator is proposing that such videos would be illegal:
http://www.techdirt.com/articl.....0253.shtml
Posted by Michael Masnick at February 15th, 2008 at 2:05 pmMike:
Well, good luck with that, Utah!
The kids will not obey!
Thanks for the link, Mike!
Posted by Kara Swisher at February 18th, 2008 at 2:06 amWow. Power of the internet, indeed. Perhaps he’s just p’d off he has to wear a funny outfit and drive a clown car. LOVE the fact that he asked AFTER his rant if the camera was on. “Dude” would seem a step up from “Angry Bully.”
Posted by chris rogers at February 18th, 2008 at 8:40 amChris:
I know! The combo of the shorts and the mini-car was kind of odd.
Posted by Kara Swisher at February 18th, 2008 at 9:38 pm